KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A 9-year-old boy is dead after being shot in Kalamazoo on Thursday afternoon.
Kalamazoo police say the 9-year-old was shot near the intersection of Lake and James streets around 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
The boy was taken to the hospital, where police confirm he later died.
A resident who lives near where the shooting happened, Ashley Vandenberg, says violent crime has been a frequent problem in the area.
"I was driving by and saw the tape and I stopped," Vandenberg told Fox 17. "My son is playing in our pool right now; I can hear him. People are getting shot over here all the time. And it is very disheartening. I've lived here 16 years. And we have never had problems like this until this year. All these four corners over here. And those street market in Washington to all of this is like this all the time. All the time. The police need to come and they have more presence over here."
NAACP President Wendy Fields says she's "so sick and tired of the gun violence here in Kalamazoo."
The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety is actively investigating the deadly shooting and asks anyone with information to call 269-488-8911 or Silent Observer at 269-343-2100.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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